i agree that the pdga has served a great purpose by standardizing rules, etc.

but like you said, the pdga only caters to the pros.

i don't know abut you, but i got into disc golf as a casual amateur. frankly, i still am. if the pdga wants to expand, it should be going after my group of players. hell, a billboard on the highway near a course would do wonders i bet.

*i'll debate more later. gotta be up in 5 hours*

Are YOU the d-bag who swiped all four of the putters I left at White Birch?

Really, the PDGA sells a service, and that service is a tournament series + the residual benefit of points and a rating. If you are not interested in the service they provide, there really is no reason to join. The PDGA would waste it's limited resources trying to get casual disc golfers that don't want to play in tournaments to join. About 30% of the PDGA membership is a revolving-door one time membership, that is folks that join once for one year and are never heard from again. That's not to uncommon in orgs like the PDGA. People will join, play a few events, decide it's not their cup of tea and move on. The assumption made is that those people quit playing, but there is no evidence or tracking of what happens to them. I assume many quit playing, but others just go back to places like Hazelwood and keep on chuckin.'

The PDGA is not unique in this. The general estimation in any sport is that only 5% will get involved in any organized activity. That doesn't mean join the PDGA, that means join a league or show up for a club flight. Only a small percent of that 5% will then go on to join the PDGA. So the "organized" wing of any sport only represents a small fraction of the players, but it is that small fraction that do things. The other 95% just play. In most cases all they contribute is their entry fee, but disc golf is free so they contribute...well, you can do the math. BUT, those people have to be there. I doubt the County would be allowing RCF to use Unger for yet another disc golf course if the expectation was that 200 or so people in the entire St. Louis area played disc golf. The understanding is that RCF is the tip of the iceburg, and the rest of that iceburg has to be there in order for the sport to move forward. Otherwise, there are not the number needed to justify all the public land we occupy. That's the way it is, and the PDGA really can't alter human behavior just because somebody becomes a Frisbee freak.

Just a thought about the new players. Cub Scouts grades 1 through 5 have the opportunity to earn Belt Loops. One of these belt loops is for Ultimate/Disc Golf. In order for these boys to earn the belt loop they must learn the rules of Disc Golf or Ultimate.

They then have to practice for 30 minutes, yeah right! At this age the only thing they can do for 30 minutes is watch Spongebob. Then they have to play a game.

When it warms up I am taking my Den (12 2nd graders and 12 parents) to Quail Ridge for rules, practice and 9 holes. They will earn Their Belt loop, also if they help clean the course, they will earn patches for Leave no Trace and maybe for community service.

The St Louis Boy Sout region stretches from Cape Girardeau to Troy Missouri. This could be a great opportunity to bring young men in to the game, as well as introduce their parents to what those people are doing with "frisbees" in the park.

yeah, good job! Call me if you need any help with extra discs or whatever, Quail is my home course, of course! My kiddo is in the Daisies, so I will be doing something like this for her troop some day in the near future most likely, too!Eric 314 302 1949

Life is short, make the most of every opportunity you get to do the right thing, even when it would be easier to just say "Screw it, I don't care." Make a difference, one opportunity at a time. Smile!

you know i joined the pdga last year. i joined mostlyfor the open, but i did it for the expierience. also it give me a thrill of playing people i dont see every tournament, which creates moer of a challenge. i am the casual golfer i care about hoe i play but done fret if i have a bad round. the pdga is supposed to be some big deal of a tournament , but i treat it like a in town tournament. i played both the c tiers and had a blast. laughed with everyone i played with. mostly out of towners. still this game is reaching places 10 years ago werent even on radar. i enjoy this game it brings me peace, and allows me to add a group of friends that will be there for as long as the game will be here. to me if you miss a 25 foot put dont flip out ar get mad learn and practice so you make it next time. it kills me that people take this game so seriously that it takes over their lives. i too have a job and a shortage of funds to travel to play, but i enjoy it the same. it doesnt kill me that i cant travel but when a tournament like the c tiers or the open come along i get excited. it has never been about winng its nice but the thrill of seeing players from all over the country that throw as far or are more consistent. belive me this sport can be an addiction but i never let it get to me. i have had the pleasure of playing with some of the lakers. their outlook on the game opened my eyes to a fun sport that can be enjoyed with competiton and fun. i just hope that the long arm of disc golf never shortens and people keep loving, enjoying, and respecting this SPORT its more than an activity

Disc up xlforlife,The LAKERS would like to thank you very much for the compliment. I do not think that I could have described my own disc golf experience any better than you did. This is my 1st year in the PDGA, so I am looking to get into some of the bigger events as well.